


you think this world is a dream come true (but you’re wrong)

by lavi0123



Series: lavi does maiko halloweek 2020 [7]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Coraline (2009)
Genre: F/M, Fall Maiko Week 2020, Mai (Avatar)-Centric, but here it is anyway, emphasis on PRESUMED, glad I finally get to share it!, i've been planning this since halloween XD, no beta we die like lu ten, oh also: warning for presumed character death, the coraline au literally no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27414163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavi0123/pseuds/lavi0123
Summary: There was a legend in all four nations (three, now; the Air Nomads were only lumped in for courtesy). It told of a young girl predating the Nations, with hair as blue as the deepest ocean, skin as fair as a Fire National, and eyes as brown as acorns, named Coraline Jones.The story was for the unloved, the broken, the bruised. It was for those whose parents never heard the story–or, at least, those whose parents would never tell it.Zuko and Mai were two such people.Or: Zuko is lured by the Other Mother, and after a fight with Mai, he never returns. What else is a girl to do but go after one of the only true friends (and the only crush) she's ever had?
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: lavi does maiko halloweek 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990834
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	you think this world is a dream come true (but you’re wrong)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ohsalamanders](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohsalamanders/gifts).



> Warning that this chapter mentions blood by name a couple of times. A character is also assumed to be dead at the start of the story, but they are not, in fact, dead. I didn't know if that warranted "Major Character Death," but if it does, let me know.
> 
> Also...presumably, you've seen Coraline. You know how dark this story's gonna get. I don't think I have to warn you–other than what I listed above, it's Coraline-typical violence, so bear that in mind.
> 
> This fic is for Maiko Week, obviously, but a special shoutout to @ohsalamanders, who encouraged this crazy idea and fanned it into a flame XD thanks for supporting all my crazy WIP ideas

There was a legend in all four nations (three, now; the Air Nomads were only lumped in for courtesy). It told of a young girl predating the Nations, with hair as blue as the deepest ocean, skin as fair as a Fire National, and eyes as brown as acorns, named Coraline Jones.

According to legend, she was an unhappy girl in an unhappy family, wishing for parents who loved and adored her, always wishing. _She was a teenager_ , some parents would add, _and her parents were adjusting to a new home, something she didn’t understand_ , but it didn’t change the fact that she still felt unloved and unwanted, and thus, she was an easy target for the Beldam.

The Beldam...well, interpretations of her tended to vary. Some called her _a witch_ , others _a woman scorned_ , a few chose _a mother spurned_...but it didn’t really matter, in the end, who she was. What mattered was that she lured Coraline with a dream-come-true world. It starred her as the Other (Better) Mother and had an Other Father, an Other Wybie (Wybie being a boy she’d known for a few days, whom she liked and hated in equal measure, but it sure helped that his Other self couldn’t talk), and all the attention a teenage girl could possibly want.

Coraline was tempted to stay forever. She was even offered the chance to do so, as long as she allowed buttons to be sewn in her eyes. _And she was tempted_ , the legend-tellers always said, _so very,_ very _tempted. But ultimately, she chose family over fantasy. She returned home._

And so she did. She returned home, rattled and shaken, recounting the story to Wybie and his grandmother (whose sister had been taken by the Beldam). Her hands shook as she told it, and tears welled up in her eyes, and Wybie and his grandmother hugged her tightly, and she thought she might like it, if this was her home.

But it wasn’t. Her home was around the corner, in the apartment where she and her parents now lived. So it was there that she returned. But things were not as happy as they seemed. Her parents were happy to see her, of course, but it was clear that she had changed. She no longer trusted them as she once had, nor was she the same cheerful girl she once was. Her time with the Beldam, the relationship she’d built with the deceitful woman, the hopes she’d piled there, it had all shattered in an instant, leaving her with a fractured heart with pieces missing.

The Beldam scooped out Coraline’s heart, and Coraline only managed to escape with a few shards. _And so,_ the legend-tellers would say, _listen, children. You must never run away from home, and you must never trust the sweetness of strangers._

There was a problem with this, of course. This story was only told to children who were loved by parents who loved them. But the story was never theirs, nor was it ever meant to be. The story was for the unloved, the broken, the bruised. It was for those whose parents never heard the story–or, at least, those whose parents would never tell it.

Zuko and Mai were two such people.

***

Mai not hearing the story was because, although her parents had grown up hearing it, they saw it as little more than a fairytale, and she never seemed to need it anyway. They told Tom-Tom the story, their sweet baby boy allowed to emote, but she was never allowed to show how she truly felt, and thus, her parents saw no need to tell her the story. What use was it to tell a cautionary tale about the dangers of love in the wrong places to a girl who didn’t seek love in the first place?

It wasn’t the first time they’d misjudged her, and it wouldn’t be the last. Mai supposed that was what happened when one learned to suppress their emotions during their formative years.

At first, it didn’t really seem like a big deal. Ty Lee had heard the story, as had her six sisters, but Azula scoffed at it, saying that she’d never heard of such nonsense. “And neither has Zuzu,” she added, which Mai later confirmed when she asked him.

So perhaps it wasn’t such a _tradition_ as Ty Lee made it out to be. Or maybe it was. Mai had heard both sides, and frankly, she didn’t care. It was just a stupid story, after all.

***

Then, when she was 10, Zuko changed his tune.

“That story Ty Lee talked about? It’s real!”

“Don’t be silly, Zuko. That’s just a fairytale.”

“No, really!” He insisted, and he grabbed her hand, and her eyes were shining, and for a moment, she was taken in. For a moment, she believed. “I went through a hole in the wall, and-and I found this amazing world! With a mom who...who loved me and was able to show it, and a dad...a dad who _adored_ me!”

...and then it shattered. “Zuko,” she tried again with a sigh, “that was just a dream.”

“What? No, it wasn’t! It really happened!”

“A hole in the wall?” She peered closer at him. “You’re either dreaming or feverish. Probably both.”

He looked at her then–really, truly looked at her–and the light in his eyes gave way to something she couldn’t identify. “You think I’m crazy.”

“Zuko…” she sighed. “It’s not that, I just–”

“Don’t believe me?” He chuckled, and it sounded much more bitter than it had any right to. It made her blood run cold, especially as he stood up. “It’s fine. I wouldn’t either.”

“Zuko, wai–” but he was gone, leaving her with feelings of worry mixed in with her usual apathy.

Their next fight happened only a week later, when he ran all the way to her house this time, eyes alight. It wasn’t a problem, given that a) he was the prince and b) her parents thus loved him, but it still startled her. He was always one of the few people who could manage that.

“Mai! Mai! You’ll never guess–”

“Did you have that dream again?” She asked, already knowing the answer.

He huffed. “It’s not a dream, but yes, I went to the Other world again!”

“Okay…” Totally not weird at all… “And what did you see in this... _other_ world?”

“Capital O, Mai. Other.”

“...you just repeated what I said.”

“You’re mocking it,” he insisted stubbornly, and she sighed.

“Fine...what did you see in the _Other_ world?”

His eyes brightened. “Do you remember how I said my Other Father loves me?”

 _Are they all..._ Other _now?_ “I remember.”

“Well, we played catch! In-in the yard, with a ball!”

“Isn’t that something the National kids do with their dads?” She remembered Ty Lee talking about how she used to do it with her dad when she was very little. It seemed like a foreign concept to her, but oh well. To each their own.

“Yeah! And my Other Father did it with me!” He reached over and grabbed her hand, while she held back from flinching away. His enthusiasm was always overwhelming, but now...he seemed...otherworldly.

 _Or..._ Other _worldly? No, stop it, Mai. That’s ridiculous. This place doesn’t actually exi–_

“Mai?” She snapped out of it to face a concerned Zuko. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she excused. “So? If this world is so _great_ , why’d you come back?”

“Well...I don’t really have a choice–or I didn’t.”

“...didn’t?”

“They–well, the Other Mother–offered to let me stay forever.” He smiled brightly. “I-I told her I’d love to.”

“So why–?”

“I asked if I could come back just once more...because I wanted to bring you, too.”

She really did jerk away from him then, eyes wide. “What?!”

“Think about it, Mai!” His eyes were brighter than ever, but for the first time, she saw something else in them, something that scared her. “We could be together in a perfect world, with parents who love us–”

“And what about Ty Lee?” She argued. “What about your _real_ mother?” _And...why would you sooner take me than your own sister?_

“The Other Mother _is_ my real mother,” he insisted. “She’ll protect me from any harm seeking to hurt me! Can Ursa do _that_?”

“Don’t...don’t talk about your mother like that,” she finally managed, her voice shaking a bit at the start. What was he saying? He loved his mother, always had, and now…

“Ursa is not my mother, Mai,” he repeated, sounding firm. “Now, either you come with me, or I’m going back myself. Your choice.”

“Wh–you can’t!” She protested. “What about–?”

“If you mention Ursa just once more–”

“No, I...I meant...what about your sister?”

At this, he outright laughed. “Azula? The born-lucky prodigy who never misses an opportunity to push me down, just so she can rise up? Who shames Ty Lee every time she stands out, who shames _you_ every time you show even a little emotion? You’re defending her, of all people?”

He wasn’t wrong about Azula, she was indeed all those things–being Ozai’s favored child tended to encourage those traits, Mai supposed. But to look at Zuko now, to hear the venom in his voice, one would think he was talking about his enemy, not his little sister. Mai had never heard him talk like that about anyone.

“She’s your sister,” she insisted, knowing all the while it was a futile effort. “That used to mean something to you.”

“People change.”

“ _Spirits_ , Zuko, it’s only been a week! How could you–how could _anyone_ change _that_ much?”

“I guess I’m full of surprises.” He turned his back on her again, shoulders slumping slightly. “Goodbye, Mai. For what it’s worth, I wish we’d parted on better terms.”

“What do you mean?” She protested. He ignored her, but she gave chase as he left. “Hey! What do you mean by–”

“Mai!” Her mother suddenly appeared in front of her, obscuring her view of Zuko with a cross look on her face. “What’s all this fuss about?”

“Zuko’s leaving!” Mai cried. “He’s _leaving_ , and there’s nothing I can do!”

“Well, it’s getting dark, you know. He has to get home.”

“No, Mom, that’s not–”

“Now, off to bed with you, young lady.” Her mother pursed her lips. “You clearly need the rest, you’re all out of sorts today.”

“Mom, please–”

“Bed, Mai. I won’t say it again.”

So off to bed she went, though she got very little sleep for all her efforts. She kept turning the conversation over in her mind, hoping that she could talk to Zuko tomorrow. Maybe I’ll go with him. Just to see what it’s like. And then...maybe I can save him.

***

The next day, she received word that Zuko had disappeared.

It wasn’t exactly clear what had happened, but Mai knew a few things: Ursa, Iroh, and Lu Ten (Zuko’s cousin, Mai remembered) were scared, Ozai was concerned at best, and Azula seemed to be unaware that Zuko’s disappearance was actually something of a crisis.

She also knew exactly where he was and why he’d left, and something cold settled in her stomach even as she fought to keep her face neutral. After last night, it had taken a lot of groveling to get her mother to allow her to come, and she wasn’t going to ruin that. Nor was she going to give anyone leverage over her.

“I just figured he was sulking in his room again,” Azula explained to a startled Ty Lee and a seemingly-impassive Mai with a shrug. “How should I know that Dum-Dum got himself kidnapped?”

“Don’t say that, Azula!” Ty Lee cried.

“What? You know that’s the best possible outcome.” She then caught Mai’s eye with a smirk, and Mai realized she hadn’t been quite as impassive as she thought. “Then again...it’s also entirely possible that he di–”

“Azula!” Ursa’s sharp voice rang across the courtyard, and she stormed over to seize her daughter by the wrist. “That’s enough!”

“Let go of me!” Azula snapped. “Figures you only care about _him_. If _I’d_ gone missing, I bet you’d celebrate!”

Ursa gasped, releasing Azula. “No, Azula–”

Azula scoffed, getting to her feet and storming off.

“What is wrong with that child?” Ursa murmured in puzzlement. Mai said nothing but silently wondered the same.

She might be jealous of her own brother, but...it wasn’t _normal_ for a sister to be so at ease with her brother’s disappearance. If Tom-Tom disappeared like that, Mai knew she’d look for him. Not just for her parents’ sake, but because he was so...small. So helpless. He wouldn’t last a day out in the world by himself, and it was her job to protect him, and...she genuinely enjoyed his company when their parents weren’t around.

Maybe it was different when one’s brother was older. And maybe Mai was projecting–it wasn’t like she was entirely blameless in this.

A search was issued, and it became a nationwide hunt. The Fire Sages looked everywhere, and every citizen was kept on high alert for the young prince. Firelord Ozai had promised a hefty reward to whoever found Zuko, though Mai noticed there was no mention of punishment against those who had taken him. It made her angry, for some inexplicable reason.

The search continued until early the next year, until Ozai finally put a stop to it with a decree: Prince Zuko was presumed dead, and he would thus be removed from the line of succession. There wasn’t really a need to say the second part, but some took it–and his crocodile tears–as indicative of a grieving man who had finally been forced to accept what had happened to his firstborn son, and who rightfully wanted no badgering on the matter.

Others knew better. But they also knew better than to say so.

***

Suddenly, Mai was 13, and life had moved on.

Azula was in the process of being groomed to be the Crown Princess, and this delighted Mai’s parents to no end.

“Everyone will want to consort with her now,” her mother said with a smile, “and you’re her best friend!”

“Ty Lee, too,” Mai added.

“Oh, don’t worry about Ty Lee. You’ve got a much better head on your shoulders, my dear, and Princess Azula has always known that.”

_That’s not what I meant._

Her mother squeezed her shoulders. “I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”

Despite herself, Mai smiled just slightly, enough to be polite but not overbearing. “Thank you, Mother.”

And thus, things continued as normal. She left home every day–every other day, she went to the palace to meet Azula and Ty Lee, but on the other days, she wandered the Fire Nation in disguise, thinking back to the boy she’d known and possibly even loved, and how she’d driven him away.

_If I did something different...could I have saved him?_

Part of her knew she couldn’t have. He was already so far gone by the time they spoke last–but maybe if she’d believed him earlier...if she’d gone with him…

Maybe he wouldn’t have fallen so far. Maybe he wouldn’t be gone forever, presumed dead and close enough to it.

Maybe she wouldn’t be sitting at this fountain, holding back tears, with guilt sitting heavy in her heart like an obsidian stone.

She wasn’t normally a spiritual person. But she usually didn’t drive her friends to abandon their world either. So that night, when she sent a prayer up to Agni begging for help in saving Zuko, she didn’t expect a magic road map, but she still hoped for _something_. A sign that he was truly dead, a sign that he was safe...anything, really.

And the next night, it was granted.

***

The chirping of a few mice woke her from sleep, and she blinked blearily at them. They chirruped impatiently, and she almost rolled over and fell back asleep when her prayer rang in her mind, a reminder. She jerked awake, getting to her feet and following the mice. Maybe it was silly, but at this point, she’d take any lead to find Zuko, even if it led nowhere at all.

They led her to a hole in the wall of the living room–well, a door was more accurate. She vaguely remembered asking her mother about it, but she’d dismissed it and moved her along to other things. However, Mai remembered where her mother kept the key to this door from when she’d seen her stash it quickly away, so Mai rushed to the kitchen, pulled open the drawer, and retrieved the black key, smiling in triumph.

Unlocking the door with it revealed a beautiful swirling tunnel of red and black. Mai pocketed the key, closed the door behind her, and crawled through the tunnel to the other door.

When she opened it, she saw that the dreary living room was lit with warmth ( _a true_ living _room_ , Mai noted with amusement), and she could hear the stove sizzling as a woman hummed. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but Mai couldn’t place it.

Following her ears led her to the kitchen, where a dark-haired woman was stirring something and humming softly.

Mai cleared her throat, as she’d been taught was the proper way to announce herself, and the woman turned toward her, smiling widely. Mai’s breath caught–this woman...looked so like her mother. They had the same round face, dark hair, and lipstick. Something was different about her (besides the jarring button eyes), but...it was like they were sisters.

“You’re just in time for dinner, dear,” the woman said with a smile, and– _oh, that’s what’s different_ , Mai realized. _Mother doesn’t smile like that_. “Hope you’re hungry?”

“A little,” she admitted softly.

“What was that?”

“Um...that is, I-I could eat,” Mai stammered, forgetting too late that she’d mumbled.

The woman’s face softened. “Dear, don’t look so frightened. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I-I know that,” Mai defended, sitting in the chair closest to the door. “You’re my...aunt, after all.”

The woman laughed. “Oh, I’m afraid not, Mai.”

 _How do you know my name?_ “Then...who _are_ you?”

“Why, I’m your Other Mother, dear.” The woman grinned outright, and Mai froze.

_My...Other Mother? No...no she can’t mean–_

“Are you all righ–?”

“St-stay away from me!” Mai cried, scrambling to her feet and away from the quickly-approaching Other Mother. “I’ve heard about you!”

“Mai–”

“I’ve heard how you steal children from their homes and make them your little minions–”

“Mai, please–”

“I’ve heard about _Caroline_ –”

“Mai!” The shout drew her attention, and she recoiled from the Other Mother, her expression twisted in fury, but only for a moment before quickly retreating into maternal warmth. “I’m sorry, dear, I–”

“Where are you keeping him?”

“I...what?”

“Zuko. The Prince of my country. You’ve stolen him, and I want to know where he is.”

“Dear, I think you’re a bit confused–”

“I know you have him! Tell me where he is! Tell me right now, or I’ll–!”

Something struck her over the head before she could finish, and her vision gave way to darkness.

***

When next she woke, she was in her own bed, safe at home. She didn’t trust it–of course not, why would she?–but a quick peek in the kitchen revealed her parents to be as normal and button-less as ever. It relieved her, in a way she thought they never could, and she resolved that she would never return to that awful place again.

But when that night came, the mice were not so inclined to let her off the hook. When she turned over to fall back asleep, they climbed up her bed and scratched her, drawing blood. She cried out, but knowing it was futile, she finally got off the bed and followed them.

Maybe they were forcing her back, but she wasn’t going to lose sight of the mission this time. If she had to play nice with the Other Mother, then fine, she would. _But just a sign of Zuko is all I ask...and maybe that’s why they’re dragging me back. Because there’s no sign of him just yet._

So back through the tunnel she crawled, the colors scaring her more now that she knew what awaited her. She’d had an idea before, but...seeing the danger, knowing it...that was scarier than just having an idea.

The Other Mother was waiting for her this time, seated on the couch in the living room as she emerged. “I was wondering when you’d come back.”

“I wasn’t really in a hurry,” Mai retorted.

The Other Mother sighed. “Can’t we be friends, Mai? I’d love to be your friend, if you’d let me.”

“So you can sew buttons in my eyes? No thanks. I’d rather take my chances back home.”

“Would you?” The Other Mother arched a brow. “In a home where you are constantly ignored, where your emotions are seen as weakness? You threw a tantrum in my kitchen yesterday, to little consequence from me.”

“Little consequence? You knocked me over the head!” Mai snapped.

“No, Mai,” the Other Mother murmured, “you lost your balance and fell over. That impact on your head was when it hit the tiled floor.” She looked down sadly. “Regrettably, I wasn’t fast enough to catch you.”

“You’re lying! I think I’d remember–”

“Mai. Think back. I was in your eyeline the entire time, remember?” Her gaze was impossibly soft, so very gentle, and Mai hated how it made her feel. She hated the childish feeling it elicited in her, the way it made her want to curl up in the woman’s arms and cry until she had no tears left. “Did I make a move against you, to hit you?”

She hadn’t. Mai knew that. But she also knew the Other Mother was not to be trusted. “Yes.”

The Other Mother sighed. “Very well, then. I guess I can’t change your mind.”

Mai narrowed her eyes. “What?”

“I was hoping you’d choose to stay, but...I understand you don’t trust me yet. I don’t blame you, especially since you seem to have me confused with someone else.”

“What do you mean?”

“You mentioned your friend...Zuko, was it?”

“Yes, that’s him,” Mai agreed, wondering where she was going with this.

“I’m afraid I’ve never met anyone by that name. Though he seems like quite a strong and remarkable young boy, to have made you so passionate.” The Other Mother smiled. “Won’t you tell me more about him?”

The look in her eyes was so sincere, and Mai was so, so tired. She wanted to sit down with this woman and bare her soul, the way she never could with her own parents, wanted to finally belong somewhere, but–

But she had just slipped up, and Mai would not forgive it.

“You’re lying.”

The Other Mother blinked, then laughed. “Pardon?”

Mai smirked. “You _do_ know Zuko, and you _have_ met him before.”

“I just told you,” the Other Mother replied, “I have no idea who he is.”

“You called him my friend,” Mai pointed out.

The Other Mother laughed. “Dear, that was evident in how you yelled about him.”

“You called him _a young boy_. Not a young man, as most call teenagers, as he would be now. A _young boy_. It’s almost as if...you met him before, when he was younger.”

“Teenagers are young boys to me, is that so wrong?” The Other Mother argued. “And besides, you say _your country_? We’re in the same house, darling. The country hasn’t changed, this is just a mirror image of–”

“And that’s the other thing! You said you’ve never even heard of Zuko, but that’s not possible. Even if we assume this is a _different version_ , it’s still fundamentally the same country. And I assume every person has Other versions?”

The Other Mother frowned. “What does that have to do with–?”

“Zuko should have an Other version, too. One who is either Prince or at least still in the line of succession of this... _Other_ Fire Nation. But he doesn’t, does he?” Mai smirked. “Because this isn’t an Other world in a full sense. It’s a mirage you created, to trap Caroline, countless others, then Zuko, and now me!”

The Other Mother scowled openly now. “So, this is how it’s going to be, is it?” She stood with a sort of grace that Mai envied, but only for a moment, as her beautiful features melted away and sharpened into something harsh and cruel, as she grew until she towered over 13-year-old Mai. “You dare to defy me in my own home?!”

“You started this when you kidnapped my friend!” Mai shouted back, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She’d never felt quite like this before, and honestly, it felt...invigorating. “Now, where is he?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” the Other Mother sneered, lunging forward to seize Mai by the nose. “You’ll be meeting him soon enough.”

Mai fought the woman’s grip with all her strength, but more movement only made it worse, especially as the Other Mother approached a mirror and threw her through, into a cold stone room that made her shiver.

“You may come out,” the Other Mother hissed, “when you’re ready to be a _loving daughter_ , Mai.”

“No!” Mai cried, surging forward, but as soon as the mirror closed, she knew it was pointless. She was stuck here, with no way out.

She bit her lip and sank to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She’d really done it this time, hadn’t she? Not only had she driven Zuko away, but she’d also managed to land herself in a prison from which there was no escape.

_Nice going, genius. Now your parents have lost their kid, too._

_Oh, please. They won’t care._

_Maybe they won’t, but Ty Lee will. Weren’t you the only one defending her when Azula tried to push her down?_

_No, I...I wasn’t the only one who–_

_No one else was there. It was just you. And now...poor Ty Lee will have to fend for herself, against the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation. Good job, really. You’ve managed to doom your own Nation to a lifetime of war and your friend to a lifetime of fear._

_No! No, I–_

“Mai?”

She jerked upright at the somewhat-familiar sound, calling, “Who’s there?”

“It’s...it’s Zuko.” _Zuko?_ “Can you…? I-I can’t really see too well in here.”

“Oh, um…” she crawled forward. “Speak some more, I’ll find you.”

“Okay, um...I guess I can tell you how I got here. I bet you’re wondering.”

“No duh, idiot. Last I saw, you were all too eager to come, and now you’re locked away, and you sound like you’re dying.”

Zuko chuckled. “Not...not too far off the mark there, actually. Um...what happened was that I came back without you. And it was...fine, except...well, to be honest, bringing you was kind of an excuse to not come back, or to at least have backup when I fought her.”

“The Other Mother?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “It, uh...didn’t really work out for me. I ended up with…” he sniffled.

Mai found him then, squeezing his hand. Zuko guided her hand up to where his eyes should’ve been, and she gasped. “Sh-she…”

“Yeah,” Zuko whispered, and Mai felt the tears as they fell down his cheeks. “I resisted her sewing buttons in my eyes...so she locked me in here and sewed them on while I was asleep. They...didn’t quite take the way she expected, so she left me here.”

“Oh, Zuko,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for,” he replied fiercely. “I...I didn’t entirely realize at the time...or maybe I did...but you were right, in a way. This is all just a fairytale, and maybe that’s why being in it is so dangerous.”

“Because we’re real,” Mai realized, “and she’s not? So...what does this make this place, then? A fantasy brought to life?”

“An illusion. The only real thing is the Other Mother, and...honestly, I think her ability to create this world comes from the world itself.”

“She’s not creating something new,” Mai murmured, eyes wide, “she’s altering what already exists!”

“Yeah, exactly!”

“So...so we can use that, right? We can free ourselves from this place and leave?”

He winced. “Well...not quite. The buttons tie me to this world–specifically, they tie me to her. If I leave this world, or she dies...I die.”

Mai sucked in a sharp breath. “Okay...then we just have to come up with another strategy.”

Zuko hummed, then said, “You know...the Other Mother loves games. Maybe you could convince her to let us go free if you find my eyes.”

“Kinda sounds like a gamble,” she remarked.

“Got any better ideas?”

“...no, but I do have a question.”

“Yeah?”

“How are you gonna get us out of this thing?”

“Oh...I can’t leave.”

She blinked. “What?”

“She, uh...I’m not really alive, so to speak.”

“What do you mean, you’re not–?!”

“I’m not dead!” He reassured her quickly. “Not a ghost, not like...some of the others you’ll find. But...but I’m not really alive either. And the mirror only lets you pass if you’re alive.”

“I...Zuko–”

“Find my eyes,” Zuko whispered. “Get us out of here. You can do it, Mai, I know you can.”

She took a deep breath, then braced herself. “All right. What should I do?”

“You need to think of something you want to do,” he said. “Nothing directly against the Other Mother, but...other than that, it can be anything.”

“Sounds like the type of stupid riddle this place would have,” she muttered, sighing. “All right, then. Do I say it out loud?”

“No! Just...think it in your head, and run towards the wall as fast as you can.”

“Run...at the stone wall.”

“Yes.”

“The one that could knock me out instantly.”

“What’s with you and knockouts?”

She smiled bitterly. “Long story.”

He eyed her curiously but nodded. “Yeah. That wall.”

“Sounds dangerous to me.”

“Probably,” he agreed. “Scared?”

“Me?” She smirked. “Never.”

“Go on, then.”

She nodded, taking a deep breath, then summoning the thought of seeking justice for Zuko. _I want to save Zuko. I want to save Zuko. I want–_

“Mai?!”

She looked up, startled, to see the Other Mother in front of her, expression rapidly contorting in rage, but Mai spoke up quickly before the woman could move. “Wait! I...I have a proposition for you.”

The Other Mother stopped short, scrutinizing Mai. “A proposition? What might that be?”

“I met Zuko in there,” Mai explained, eyes firm, “and I was wondering if you might want to play...a game?”

***

The rules, as they’d set them, were simple.

Mai would search the estate (which was huge, goodness), for Zuko’s eyes, and she had until the moon was clouded in shadow.

If she found the eyes, she and Zuko would be allowed to return home, with no fight from the Other Mother.

If she didn’t…Mai had agreed to submit to getting buttons sewn in her eyes. Zuko’s fate was not one she bargained for in that case–he couldn’t leave without his eyes, and asking the Other Mother to kill him was a line she didn’t want to cross. Though that seemed to be the Other Mother’s idea anyway, so it would likely happen regardless of Mai or Zuko’s consent.

Which means...she _had_ to win.

It took a long time, searching for the eyes. They were hidden in different places, so even when she found one, the other was far away. It felt like she’d been searching for ages when she finally found the second eye, and by that point, the shadow had already clouded the moon.

Heartbeat quickening, Mai raced back into the house, searching for the Other Mother. She’d wanted to get to Zuko first, but there was no time now. “Other Mother!”

“Right here, dear.” The Other Mother’s voice still startled Mai, but especially now, with her face all cracked, and her arms and torso so thin and gleaming that they looked like wire, pronouncing her sneer all the more. She seemed to take pleasure in Mai’s fear, but Mai swallowed and steeled herself to fight. “Was there something you needed?”

“My deadline has passed.”

The Other Mother hummed. “How honest of you. And I take it you haven’t managed to–?”

“Right here.” Mai held up her hand and unfurled it, revealing two white eyeballs with golden irises. The Other Mother scowled, and Mai smirked. “Looks like I won.”

“Incorrigible child!” The Other Mother screamed. “How selfish you are–all of you!”

“Selfish?” Mai’s eyes narrowed. “Us? _You_ stole children from their homes!”

“I gave them a better life! You could ask any of them before the buttons, they were happier!” The Other Mother snarled at her. “ _You_ could’ve been happier!”

“I’d rather live in misery all my life than serve a kidnapping _witch_!” Mai snapped.

The Other Mother lunged at her, but Mai dodged, squeezing Zuko’s eyes and holding them close as she made a dash for the mirror. No matter what, she’d get them back to him.

She reached the mirror with ease, with enough of a lead to reach through and wait for a bit, but as the Other Mother rounded the corner, she panicked and shook her hand, willing Zuko to grab it _faster_ , before–

“Ahh!” She cried out as the Other Mother shoved her into the mirror again, following her through this time.

“Now, Mai,” the Other Mother sneered, “be a good girl and give those eyes back.”

“I will, as soon as you back off!” Mai snapped.

The Other Mother snarled and lunged for her with an outstretched hand, fingers sharpened, but someone leaped in front of Mai before the harm could reach her. “Z-Zuko…?”

Zuko groaned on the floor–the Other Mother’s claws had scraped his mouth, drawing blood. Mai flipped him over and fumbled with the eyes, handing them to Zuko before shielding him from another blow from the Other Mother.

“Stop this at once!” The Other Mother shrieked, but neither Zuko nor Mai had any intention of that. Mai screamed out with every blow the Other Mother dealt, but when Zuko slipped out from under her, she knew it was time.

“Go!” She cried to Zuko, “I’ll fend her off!”

“I don’t want to leave you!”

“You–agh!–have to!” Mai reached up and held back one of the Other Mother’s clawed hands. “Go, now! I’ll meet up with you!”

Zuko looked tearful, but one more glare from Mai set him running.

“I don’t think so!” The Other Mother’s other hand made a grab for Zuko, but Mai jerked the one she had a hold on, twisting it, making the Other Mother scream in pain. With that distraction, he slipped away.

Mai breathed a sigh of relief, turning to smirk at the Other Mother. “You’ve lost.”

The Other Mother smirked, causing Mai’s heart to drop again. How did this woman keep getting the jump on her? “On the contrary, dear Mai. I’ve never been more victorious.”

**Author's Note:**

> This turned out WAY longer than expected XD but hopefully, that makes up for being a little late in posting! (in my defense, it's still ~technically~ Thursday night here).
> 
> Okay so, a few things:  
> -Obviously this isn't totally faithful to the movie (though it follows the movie over the book). For one, Coraline is not shown to be in any way changed by her encounter with the Beldam, and the way she escaped is different. I mostly did this a) because I didn't want to have Mai essentially repeat Coraline's story beats when Coraline's story is an actual legend in this AU and b) because it's a bedtime story, so some sanitization is called for
> 
> -National=Fire National, which is what the Fire Nation citizens are called according to the wiki
> 
> -Zuko's experience in the Other world is only really touched on, because this isn't really his story. But you can assume it plays out similar to Coraline's–the Other Father does basically the same stuff, it just sticks out more to Zuko than it did to Coraline because Loserlord Ozai is a terrible, abusive father, while Coraline's is a workaholic.
> 
> -Idk if it came across in Zuko and Mai's argument, but Zuko...doesn't entirely believe the Other Mother's words as much as Mai thinks he does (as is clarified later in this story). He's putting on a show because a) he WANTS to believe it, and b) because he saw earlier that the more invested he seems, the more he interests Mai (there's a reason she "almost believed" him when his eyes were lit up and he was talking animatedly!). He definitely buys into this world (a few nights alone was enough to sway Coraline, who had a better home life initially and was the same age, so a week would definitely do it), but a part of him knows it's not right, that it's too good to be true, and being around Mai brings out that part of him. She keeps him grounded, he keeps her optimistic. It's what I love about Maiko!
> 
> -Zuko's grievances against Azula are legitimate grievances that he has, but Mai's right that he wouldn't usually talk about her with such venom. Remember, the Other Mother still left SOME impact on him, allowing him to see his family's flaws more clearly!
> 
> -Mai being more emotional is the Other Mother's female-figure influence. I point out multiple times that, even though she knows it's not genuine, Mai just wants this woman to be her mother (or at least her true friend) for a few moments while she unloads. Mai doesn't have a positive female relationship other than Ty Lee–after Zuko was taken, Ty Lee was her only positive relationship, period! And she can't really vent to Ty Lee, since they're always joined to Azula's hip at this point in their childhood. So it's Mai starving for a female figure to relate to, and taking advantage of the emotional freedom she's allowed. She's testing boundaries–though after she finds Zuko, her emotion comes out because she doesn't care what happens to her anymore, as long as she gets Zuko out however possible
> 
> -The Caroline thing is intentional. Mai knows about the legend because of Ty Lee, but she misremembers the name.
> 
> -Who struck Mai over the head? The world may never know...
> 
> -I glossed over the eye thing because this was already getting too long and I honestly don't know how she found them without an animal guide or a fancy green stone. You could say that Mirror Tui guided her, if you're so inclined, maybe at Mirror Agni's behest. Theorize away XD
> 
> -The ending can be taken however you want. Maybe Mai escapes and finds Zuko, maybe she doesn't. Maybe the Other Mother's meaning of "victory" isn't as simple as it appears. Reader interpretation, y'all :)
> 
> and that's about it! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask, but other than that, thanks for reading this and my other Maiko Week fics! I have an ATLA Soulmate AU on the horizon (one of the MW oneshots is a teaser for that), as well as a Bumizumi Time Travel AU, but that won't be written until at least December, so we'll see how that goes.
> 
> Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed this!


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